


Shooting Star

by Pfain Ryder (Cat_Moon)



Series: The Mirror Universe [4]
Category: Quantum Leap
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 19:34:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19383331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Pfain%20Ryder
Summary: Tying up loose ends.  AKA: You know I had to do it...





	Shooting Star

It was a nice night. There wasn't another soul on the dark, desert highway, just him and his car. Al pressed his foot down on the pedal, enjoying the rush as the engine obeyed; the one moment that always reminded him fondly of the sleek fighter planes, taking off from the aircraft carrier and hurling through space like a shooting star.

Shooting stars were heading for a fall, and so, too often, were fighter pilots. He forcibly pushed that train of thought away. It had been a boring, unnecessary trip. The late hour, the last few lonely days, were a bad combination. He needed to be with his lover.

He hated leaving Sam. Spending the night without him had been an eye-opening exercise in the unbearable. Especially...now, when he was still spooked over the recent situation with Donna. Knowing she was out there somewhere... He still found it hard to believe she'd gone over the edge like that, tried to kill him and Sam. It was like a nightmare. But as he well knew, sometimes, nightmares were real.

He'd made due with calling every night. Managed to cut his trip a day short, and now, when Sam would be expecting his phone call, he'd be arriving in person.

Damn Washington anyway. They were still jerking his chains, like demented puppeteers. Maybe he ought to retire, after all. He had a nice sharp pair of scissors now, ought to cut the strings. As it was, if they found out about him and Sam... As usual, the military was a decade or so behind the rest of the country. They were comfortable with their asinine "No ask, no tell" rule, and didn't seem inclined to notice that Hawaii had already made headlines by being the first state to sanction gay marriages, or that other states would soon be following. It looked liked Nevada would be next.

He'd always had a soft spot for Nevada.

He and Sam could combine pleasures, maybe have another run of luck at the roulette table. Sam always said roulette was his game. How symbolically true that had turned out to be. They could even go to the little drive-thru chapel he'd taken Ruthie to... Of course, Sam had family in Hawaii, and that would be nice, too.

None of this was particularly meaningful to him right now anyway. Until the fate and direction of Project Quantum Leap was determined, he couldn't afford to retire. Another of their stupid rules. Retirement meant being prohibited from participation on any government projects for a mandatory two years. Sam might be home, but he was still needed. Between having a mad woman running around loose, Sam's delayed stress, and the tons of data which had to be correlated, it was still pretty hectic. It would be nearly six months before the last report was written, last summary completed, and the final decision made.

For now, he just wanted to get home and make up for lost time.

As he pulled into the driveway, a tingle of anticipation ran through him. He couldn't remember ever missing a lover this much. But then, Sam wasn't any ordinary lover.

The house was dark, indicating that Sam was already in bed. Awaiting his call, no doubt. Al smiled to himself. Deciding to really surprise Sam, he punched in the security code and let himself inside as quietly as possible.

With great stealth, he slipped through the house to the back bedroom, dropping pieces of clothing as he went. He could hear the TV playing, low, see the light spilling out from the half-opened doorway. He tiptoed the last few steps and stood in the doorway.

And got quite a surprise of his own.

Sam still hadn't noticed him, because his attention was riveted to the TV monitor. One glance was all it took for Al to recognize the curly black hair--and various other familiar parts--of his own body, bent over another man, a steamy hot tub in the background.

"You sneak!" Al accused, as Sam almost jumped out of his skin at the noise.

A joyful smile split Sam's face as he looked up at the naked man in the doorway. "Al!"

"You told me you took care of that thing!"

Sam looked from him to the screen, a bit of guilt appearing on his face. "I...well, I couldn't bear to...you know. After all, it was your one moment in the spotlight."

The sight of Sam, sitting on the big, empty bed, lonely and seeking comfort in a projected image, erased what little anger Al had felt. "Missed me that much, huh?"

"You could have had a great career," Sam commented wryly, glancing at the screen again. "Made it...big."

Al chuckled at Sam's deliberate innuendos. He gazed at the younger version of himself once again. If he'd been a shooting star in Hollywood, then he must have made a wish on that one, because the dream come true was right in front of him, lying on satin sheets.

"You know, I can satisfy you more than he can," Al said in a sultry voice, inclining his head at the screen.

In answer, Sam grinned and hit the remote, plunging them into darkness. "Wanna spend some time on my casting couch?" he asked seductively.

"If I'm really, really good, do I get the part?"

"I'm prepared to offer you a 99 year contract."

"With an option for 99 more?" Al quoted some old TV show or other, he couldn't remember which. Then, wondering what he was doing still standing in the doorway, he slipped gratefully into the bed and Sam's embrace.

Despite the playful teasing, Al knew his acting days were over, in more ways than one. Forever.

 

 

**the end**

2/25/94

 

 

 

 


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